A dynamic showroom with several brands under one roof
Together with five other Belgian design brands, kreon opened The Belgian House in Shanghai a few months ago. The 800 m² multi-purpose space in the vibrant French Concession district is anything but a classic showroom. Visitors can enjoy a real experience with an eye for detail, quality and workmanship in a 100% Belgian ambience: from the interior design to the Vedett beer tap and the roof terrace. The combined forces of these different Belgian brands leave a strong impression in the Chinese metropolis. Today, the location is also a hip centre for exhibitions and events: A Belgian evening was recently organised to celebrate the 50th anniversary of trade relations between Belgium and China. There are also plans to involve new Belgian partners in the project. According to kreon, a dynamic exhibition space with different brands is the key to success in attracting architects and designers in the future.
The Belgian House joins forces with top Belgian brands kreon, PR interior, Renson, Decospan, Royal Botania and Reynaers. PR Interior, a furniture company based in Waregem, took the initiative for this joint showroom and found a prime location in the centre of Shanghai. “kreon has been active in China since 2014. As ‘small’ Belgians, it is not always easy to make an impression on the huge Chinese market. We immediately believed in this concept and closed our own showroom in Shanghai to invest in this joint project,” says Bram Dingenen, kreon sales manager for China. Architectural firm Raamsstudio was responsible for the design of the showroom and offices, making them a cohesive whole. The result is a unique design in a vibrant neighbourhood full of historical heritage that appeals especially to architects, designers and developers.
The Belgian House consists of two floors, of which the ground floor and the adjacent garden serve as exhibition space for professionals and for organising events. On the second floor there are four separate offices used by kreon, PR Interior, Decospan and Renson. The showroom is modelled on a luxurious loft, where the products of all partners blend harmoniously into the overall picture. The interior design materials and products are key to the creative process of the entire building. “The wooden floors, walls and cabinets show all aspects and uses of wood veneers. The adjacent dining room is an enclosed space with beamed ceilings for meetings, reminiscent of the typical Belgian terraced house,” says German Roig of Raamsstudio. The use of mirrors creates visual connections to the outside. The concrete ceiling was left intact to preserve the original condition of the building. The furniture, in turn, is inspired by the trend of “furnitecture”, which focuses on the efficient use of space, so that, for example, the partitions double as storage space.